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LAFCO Chairman Speaks For Himself

June 5, 2010

In an effort to undue the misinformation caused by Seth Adams’ intentionally misleading comments, Contra Costa Local Agency Formation Commission Chairman Martin McNair spoke with the Brentwood Press this week.  McNair is the chair of the 7 member commission which decides annexations.  In this case, LAFCO will need to determine if either Brentwood or Antioch annexes the Measure F area along Balfour Road.

In a series of public comments and emails, the No on F crowd have taken McNair’s comments out of context and have tried to get voters to believe something that just isn’t true. 

McNair confirmed that he was unhappy that fellow commissioners had chosen to provide input about LAFCO’s policies and procedures during the Measure F election.  He also stated that LAFCO hadn’t made a final decision about the Brentwood or Antioch annexation question. 

The reason they haven’t made the decision is because the issue hasn’t come to them yet!  The No on F argument is different.  They claim that a negative decision regarding Antioch’s potential taking of the site has already been made.  Absolutely untrue.  A complete fabrication.

McNair went further to clarify his position in his words.  He confirmed that he had read both the Helen Allen/RobSchoder letter along with the Dwight Meadows letter.  In the Press story McNair says that both letters are “accurate.”  He also confirmed in a separate conversation that he agreed with everything the letters of his colleagues stated.  Everything.  He just wished that LAFCO hadn’t become involved.

Vice Chairman David Piepho also participated.  He made it very clear that he also agreed with the comments of Allen, Schroder and Meadows.    They just laid out “the reality of the LAFCO process” stated Piepho.  He also fully supported both the right of the LAFCO members to make their comments.  Unlike the No on F group, others actually still believe in the First Amendment to the Constitution.

With McNair’s and Piepho’s comments, there are now 5 members of LAFCO who have all stated the same thing…namely that if Brentwood’s voters say No and Antioch’s voters say Yes, that they will likely adhere to the express will of the people and put the land into Antioch’s control.  The other two members, Supervisors Gayle Uilkema of Lafayette and Federal Glover of Pittsburg haven’t spoken publicly on the issue.

Should Antioch get the property, none of the limitations on growth nor any of the benefits that Measure F provides Brentwood would be assured.  Antioch could approve any number of homes they wished and Antioch would get the property taxes and other fees.  Given Antioch’s recent announcement that they are openly considering bankruptcy, their need for these dollars couldn’t be more obvious. 

Also, this land would be quite distant from the voters of Antioch.  Accordingly, it might well be an area within which Antioch tries to supply its legally-mandated affordable housing.  Of the 19 cities in Contra Costa, only Moraga, Orinda and Antioch do not have approved housing plans.  State law requires each city to indentify sites for low income housing.  Antioch needs more dense homes and apartments to bring their plans into compliance with the law.